Dallas Mayoral Election: The End of the Laura Miller era

[UrbanHope]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

This guy ought to try to remember what his generation did as teens/young adults that pissed off and embarrassed old folks.

Does anybody think that having him at City Hall will be any better that having him at the DISD?

[dfwcre8tive]

Jacquielynn Floyd:
Dallas descriptions filled with cynicism
07:02 AM CDT on Friday, July 14, 2006

Is Dallas ungovernable?

It's a pretty dramatic proposition: ungovernable. Unmanageable, impossible to lead, ultimately unlivable. We've got problems, but they can't be that bad, can they?

A lot of people think they are, and I have heard from dozens in the last couple of days. They wrote in response to a column I wrote Tuesday saying that the city is locked in an outdated political stalemate, ostensibly between white, wealthy North Dallas and a poor, mostly minority southern sector.

There's a lot more to Dallas than those two camps, but if all you had to go by was our political discourse, you'd never know it.

I'm not alone in this belief. There seems to be a deep vein of frustration out there among people who love Dallas a lot but are weary to the bone of hearing the same old arguments between the same old players at City Hall.

"I do not know who, in their right mind, would want to be mayor of Dallas these days," said one longtime resident. "You have City Council members trying to micromanage city departments ... it's the same situation with DISD."

One resident who lived outside the city between 1999 and 2004 said that on his return, he thought things had taken a sharp turn for the worse: "Prior to moving, I thought Dallas was a great city. But I can tell you that Dallas is a second- or third-rate city at best," he said. "It will take a near miracle to turn it around."

And there's this blunt statement from a lifelong resident: "This town makes the top ten list of 'hopeless' towns and cities. You know it, and I know it and so does everyone else."

Those are painful sentiments to read, reflective of a dead-end cynicism that has given up hope of ever seeing change. Sadly, I heard from many people who think this way – they're so fed up that they have adopted the hard armor of angry indifference.

More than a few blame the 14-1 City Council structure. Originally intended to correct decades of deliberate exclusion and ensure fair representation, they say, the system has devolved into chaos.

Wrote one former member of the City Council: "It's sad that with all the analysis about Mayor [Laura] Miller's decision not to seek another term, no one has dared to mention that the city's court-imposed 14-1 system has made Dallas virtually ungovernable."

There it is again, that word – ungovernable.

One writer expects Dallas to become "another Detroit or Washington, D.C., " plagued by racial strife between poor minorities living in slums and rich whites walled in behind their gated enclaves. Everybody else, he predicts, is headed for the suburbs, if they haven't fled already.

I honestly don't think pessimism this harsh reflects absolute reality. But it ought to be a splash of ice water in the face of those already in or who aspire to positions of leadership.

A few writers suggested that they're still holding out hope for another strong-mayor election, one that might have a better chance of passing without Ms. Miller's polarizing presence. "Now that we know Dallas will have a new mayor wouldn't this be the time?" one man asked. "A lot of what I heard was not [opponents] voting against the idea, but they did not want Laura Miller to have it."

Maybe that's a possibility. Maybe there really is a leader out there who can break through the bickering mistrust and launch a new political era.

"I think racial divisiveness is out of date," wrote one Oak Cliff resident whose message, while sober, hinted at a buoyant note of optimism. "I'm hoping for the appearance of another new player whose leadership will defy the simpleminded stereotypes."

One choleric writer ridiculed me for saying that "Dallas isn't a terrible place," but I think most of us don't really believe it is.

Perhaps the most realistic assessment came from a Dallas native who has been living out-of-state for years but is getting ready to come home, despite some reservations. "Dallas has immeasurable potential," he wrote. "But until the city as a whole wakes up, none of it will be realized."

E-mail jfloyd@dallasnews.com

[trolleygirl]

I think that now is a prime opportunity for a strong Latino candidate to rise. Dallas will be addressing a lot of needs in the near future as our population grows and the bulk of our population growth will be from immigrants and the bulk of those new immigrants will be Latino.

Hey, what about former Deputy Mayor Pro Tem John Loza? Where's he been hiding out these days?

[tamtagon]

Dallas needs a mayor who understands the need and benefit of fully functioning bilingual DISD curriculum.

[ksig121]

I've got one name for you: Ron Kirk. During his tenure as mayor, Dallas actually seemed like the "can do" city that so many on here like to think it is. I don't know what the solution is, but I think that it has to start with the younger generation of Dallasites wrenching control of this city from the old-school "power brokers" that run the city now. The group controlling city politics now has no incentive to enact change. They have created a system where their power is held and passed on to hand-picked successors. (This includes the North Dallas establishment.)

I, for one, would love to get involved in city politics. My problem is that I refuse to "kiss-up" to the establishment and it is difficult to build something at the grass-roots level in this city. Apathy is the course of political life for most young Dallasites. Unfortunately, most of the few "up-and-coming" young Dallasites are adopting the same tactics as their predecessors. Instead of building broad, diverse coalitions for the good of the city, they are too busy trying to accumulate as much power as possible in their camp to the detriment of all that could possibly pose any competition.

This city needs someone to come in and break down those artificial barriers that we have built in this city and unite the city under one vision. The closest that we have come in my 28 years of living here has been Ron Kirk. He brought a civility to city hall that helped give at least the illusion that city hall was working for Dallas-- not vice-versa.

The only way to get people to actually care about city governance here is for city hall to have an image overhaul. As long as the citizenry feels that nothing is getting done, noone will care about what is going on down there.

[UrbanHope]

I've got one name for you: Ron Kirk. During his tenure as mayor, Dallas actually seemed like the "can do" city that so many on here like to think it is. I don't know what the solution is, but I think that it has to start with the younger generation of Dallasites wrenching control of this city from the old-school "power brokers" that run the city now.


Supporting strong mayor the last time probably did in Kirk. He also has a southern sector image problem. He didn't zero for the quality of life South of I-30. Plus, he makes so much money being a lawyer why on earth would he come back to this?

You're right, my generation is going to have to affect wholesale change in the southern sector, to break up some of this stuff that's going on.

[Tnekster]

10:56 AM CDT on Friday, October 27, 2006

By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller on Friday cited economic development and public safety improvements as hallmarks of her tenure. Dallas is on “a path to greatness” thanks to strong economic development, public safety improvements and numerous other indicators the city is overcoming past challenges, Mayor Laura Miller said Thursday morning in her final scheduled state of the city address before leaving office next year.

“There is no turning back for Dallas,” she told an audience of about 150 people at the J. Erik Jonsson Library downtown. “We couldn’t stop progress if we tried. We couldn’t mess it up.”

The mayor said says the greater Dallas region is on pace to become the “most exciting, dynamic welcoming American epicenter of arts, theater, music, business, culture, shopping, food, medicine, recreation, transportation, distribution, fascination, innovation and unlimited expectations.”

Dallas’ future, however, wasn’t always so bright, Ms. Miller noted.

Upon her election in 2002, Dallas was rife with crime and still mired in an economic rut that caused the City Council to slash budgets and curtail city services.

But a concerted effort by all council members to prioritize economic development, public safety concerns, neighborhood quality of life initiatives and the Trinity River Corridor project is paying dividends in new development and higher sales and property tax receipts.

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, often Ms. Miller’s political foil, said he respects her work even when they differ on issues.

“Laura Miller has brought style and a flair and a real passion to the mayor’s office. There’s no question Laura Miller loves the city of Dallas,” said Mr. Hill, a four-term council member who himself continues to mull a mayoral bid. “And what she said today is a very accurate portrayal of where we’re at as a city right now.”


E-mail dlevinthal@dallasnews.com

[tamtagon]

The mayor said says the greater Dallas region is on pace to become the “most exciting, dynamic welcoming American epicenter of arts, theater, music, business, culture, shopping, food, medicine, recreation, transportation, distribution, fascination, innovation and unlimited expectations.”

whew

[UrbanHope]

(yawn) moving right along...

[Tnekster]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/111106dnmetoakley.235c64f3.html

City Council member Ed Oakley says he will run for mayor, adding his name to an ever-crowded field of candidates and those considering becoming one.

“I’ve always been taught to lead, follow, or get out of the way,” said Mr. Oakley, a three-term council member who represents the primarily southern sector District 3. “There’s not another candidate I want to follow, and I don’t want to get out of the way. So yes, I’m in.”

Mr. Oakley is chairman of the city’s Trinity River Corridor committee, and prior to his election to the council, he served as vice chairman of the city’s Plan Commission. He says his campaign, which he'll formally announce after Thanksgiving, will focus heavily on reducing crime and generating economic development.

He’ll join magazine editor Zac Crain, fellow council member Gary Griffith, lawyer and former mayoral candidate Darrell Jordan, lawyer Roger Herrera, banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells as Dallasites who say they’re running for mayor.

Other politicos, such as Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and council member Mitchell Rasansky, say they’ll announce by year’s end whether they, too, will run for mayor. And David Coats, Kim Harris, Jurline Hollins, William MacLeod and Gary Prichet – all little-known in political circles – have registered mayoral campaign treasurers with City Hall, a move that allows them to raise money and often a precursor to a formal run.

Prospective candidates may officially file between February 12 and March 12. The election is in May. Mayor Laura Miller announced in July she would not seek a third term, in part prompting the flood of would-be candidates.


E-mail dlevinthal@dallasnews.com

[Cliff Dweller]

Hey Admins, do we have two threads going on this?

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=5516

And should we have separate threads for the mayoral race and the council races? Or is it too soon?

[erw150]

Hey Admins, do we have two threads going on this?

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=5516

And should we have separate threads for the mayoral race and the council races? Or is it too soon?

Well, I think with the ever growing list of candidates for Mayor and City Council seat(s) there should be separate links for each race. That way all information can be easily contained in one link. :juggle:

[dfwcre8tive]

Rasansky to run for council again, not mayor
08:25 AM CST on Wednesday, December 20, 2006
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

Saying he "doesn't need it," three-term Dallas City Council member Mitchell Rasansky will forego a mayoral bid and instead run again for his council seat.

"I can do better, do more by crunching the numbers and serving District 13," Mr. Rasansky said. "When you're mayor, you have to serve 14 districts, and I don't have the time. I think I've helped change the way we do business here through what I'm already doing."

...
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/122006dnmetrasansky.26d07810.html

[Spjz]

http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-12-21/news/schutze.html

[BigD5349]

I'm glad Rasansky is not running. It's ok to be a curmudgeon council member that knee-jerk opposes everything, but the Mayor needs to have some kind of vision for the city, and that guy has no vision whatsoever.

[trolleygirl]

^ I so wished Rasansky would have run. That way we would have gotten rid of him once and for all........

[AeroD]

Apparently tomorrow, Don Hill will make a formal announcement that he is running for mayor.

[dfwcre8tive]

Does anyone know of other websites for candidates?
I found this one today:

http://crainformayor.com/

[UrbanHope]

Does anyone know of other websites for candidates?
I found this one today:

http://crainformayor.com/

Even though I'm not a fan of all them, in fairness I'll post the ones I know.

http://crainformayor.com/
http://www.donhillformayor.com/
http://www.tomleppert.com/ - no info yet
http://rogerherrerafordallasmayor.com/
http://www.garygriffith.com/
http://www.johncappello.com/
http://www.samcoats.com/
http://www.darrelljordanformayor.com/
http://www.edoakley.com/
http://www.maxwellsformayor.com/ - no info yet


http://dallasprogress.blogspot.com/
(OK, I'm not running....THIS time....)

That's all I could remember off the cuff.

[dfwcre8tive]

Mayoral candidates focus on leadership skills
Many are touting success in business world
11:34 PM CST on Sunday, January 28, 2007
By GROMER JEFFERS Jr. / The Dallas Morning News
gjeffers@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/012907dnmetmayorrace.1e20294.html

The early days of the 2007 mayoral campaign have been dominated by candidates seeking to convince voters they can bring peace and prosperity to a divided Dallas.

In so doing, many candidates in the crowded race are emphasizing their business and managerial credentials, suggesting the city needs a proven leader to end bickering at City Hall and to bridge the city's geographical and racial divides.

"They all figure they can do it better," said Dallas political consultant Lorlee Bartos. "It's been dysfunctional at City Hall, and the candidates are going to say, 'I can lead.' "

The leadership issue, analysts say, trumps all others in this year's mayoral and City Council races. About 20 mayoral contenders have announced intentions to run.

Some analysts say it's going to take a pragmatic leader to bring various factions together to deal with issues involving crime, economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Candidates are stressing leadership issues as a way to contrast themselves with Mayor Laura Miller and her frequent clashes with council colleagues, said Cal Jillson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University.

"A stable, mature leadership is what they are trying to suggest" they will bring to the office, Mr. Jillson said.

Ms. Miller said candidates take potshots at her because they have little else to run on.

"The city couldn't be on a bigger construction and economic-development roll than we are on right now, so these candidates have to say something," she said.

So far, the mayoral campaign suggests a return to the days when most candidates were conservative, business-oriented leaders, Mr. Jillson said.

"A campaign like that can work, but it's an open question whether it will work this time around," the SMU professor said. "There's a desire in the northern sector of the city for less drama while putting the city on a path of additional growth."

In 2002, Tom Dunning, now chairman of the Dallas Citizens Council, ran an abbreviated campaign to fill the unexpired term of Ron Kirk, who resigned as mayor to run for the U.S. Senate.

His pitch to voters stressed his leadership qualities, but he lost to the better-known Ms. Miller. This year's candidates espouse similar themes.

"To lead means to bring people with you," Mr. Dunning said. "Every one of them will emphasize why they are different than the current mayor. Everybody is trying to show that their style is different."

Different messages

Over the years, different mayoral campaigns have featured an array of themes.

The late Annette Strauss' historic campaign fashioned appeals to minorities, gays, women and progressives trying to beat the establishment.

Later, the city underwent political upheaval caused by the current 14-1 system that elects the council from single-member districts and the mayor at-large.

The growing pains of 14-1 and the constant battles between representatives from the north and south led to long, combative meetings and governmental gridlock.

In 1995, Mr. Kirk became the city's first black mayor by telling residents he wanted "to end the blame game" at City Hall.

After leading the effort to gain approval for voter referendums involving the American Airlines Center and the Trinity River project, Mr. Kirk gave way to Ms. Miller.

While on the council, Ms. Miller had opposed many of Mr. Kirk's big-ticket initiatives – including the American Airlines Center.

She campaigned for mayor by vowing to bolster basic city services and bring ethics to City Hall.

Her administration evolved to the point where she embraced many of the big-dollar items she once opposed. But her tenure has been plagued by her inability to forge support in southern Dallas and to craft coalitions on the council, analysts said.

"She was all about accountability, potholes and all of that, but she is largely despised," conservative radio talk-show host Mark Davis said. "She let the Cowboys go, and everybody hates that. It's the vision thing that people are looking for."

When she announced her decision not to run for re-election, would-be candidates immediately began to tout their abilities to unify the city and lead a divided council.

"You also have to have the ability to lead a diverse community," said Dallas political consultant Michael Sorrell. "If you have led a diverse organization or business, you can make that claim to voters a lot better."

Mr. Sorrell, however, doesn't see the May election as a throwback campaign, or a referendum about Ms. Miller.

"Even if you look at the other [non-business] candidates, they are trying to project a more business-like image. We see that formula being successful in cities like New York. It's the evolution of the office."

Business backgrounds

Of the 20 candidates running for mayor, many tout successful careers in the business world.

Tom Leppert ran an international contracting company and is supported by key figures in the Dallas business establishment.

Max Wells is a former banker and former mayor pro tem. Sam Coats in a former airline executive; and Darrell Jordan, who ran for mayor in 1995, is one of the city's most successful lawyers.

Even the mayoral candidates currently on the council are trying to spotlight their leadership abilities.

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill frequently opposed Ms. Miller. He spearheaded the successful effort to defeat her 2005 strong-mayor proposal.

Businessman and council member Ed Oakley has led the Trinity River committee and was a leader on the City Plan Commission.

Gary Griffith has experience on the Park Board and is a civic leader in Lakewood.

"This is actually different from years past when the business community picked their candidate and said this is how we're going to do things," Mr. Sorrell said. "These are candidates presenting a more independent approach to problem-solving."

Some analysts say candidates who tout their business credentials could have a hard time connecting with voters.

"These guys have had success in their business lives," Ms. Bartos said. "They feel like they can go down there and whip that place into shape. But I'm not sure that the city has a sense of where it wants to be led."

So the candidate who can develop coalitions in all sectors of the city could do well in May.

"The perpetual dichotomy between South Dallas issues and North Dallas issues is there," said Mr. Davis, the talk-show host. "Will there be a candidate who seems interested enough in South Dallas to attract that vote – and I don't mean just the black vote – and yet who is palatable to the North Dallas business interest?"

[dfwcre8tive]

Takers abound for thankless job of Dallas mayor
07:51 AM CST on Sunday, February 11, 2007
By GROMER JEFFERS Jr. / The Dallas Morning News
gjeffers@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/021107dnmetdalelex.1e8f5bc.html

So you want to be mayor.

First consider the following.

You'll be asked to solve lingering problems like the city's high crime rate and urban decay. Downtown is still ghostly. The city remains divided between the haves in the north and have-nots in the south.

And don't assume you'll have friends on the City Council. Get ready to confront 14 politicians with 14 different agendas.

All this for $60,000 a year.

One more thing. In the past, being elected mayor has been a career killer. Bet you can't name anyone who made it big in politics after leaving City Hall.

Still want the job?

"There seems to be plenty of people who do. It's going to be a crowded field," said Matthew Wilson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University. "It's a high-visibility position in one of America's major cities. More than that, you have people who want the job because they want to advance the interest of specific constituencies – whether that be African-Americans, Latinos or the business community."

At last count, 20 contenders from all sectors of the city were considering mayoral campaigns.

The field takes shape in earnest Monday, when candidates can officially start filing with the Dallas city secretary for the mayoral and council races. All 14 council seats are up for grabs, and seven incumbents aren't running. The filing period extends to March 12. Election Day is May 12.

For many candidates, the first day of filing is a mere formality. The race for mayor has actually been raging since before Laura Miller announced last summer that she wouldn't seek re-election.

Her years in office, marked with some successes but just as much acrimony, have made the leadership issue paramount in the campaigns of the current crop.

Many of the major candidates for mayor – including former Turner Corp. executive Tom Leppert, former airline executive Sam Coats, former businessman and council member Max Wells and Dallas lawyer Darrell Jordan – tout their business savvy and coalition-building skills.

Some council members running for mayor – Don Hill, Gary Griffith and Ed Oakley – cast themselves as healers.

Though there are no major female candidates and few minorities contending, political analysts say voters have a range of choices – even though many are gray-haired white men. The field includes a journalist, several lawyers, a banker and contractors.

At a tribute last week for former council member Craig Holcomb, former Mayor Ron Kirk told the crowd, "Anybody who is not running for mayor, please stand up."

"There's almost a candidate for everyone," said Dallas political consultant Lorlee Bartos. "There are no women in the group, but other than that, you can go shopping for someone talking about your issues."

The core issues remain almost unchanged from previous years.

Most candidates are talking about crime and economic development – particularly downtown and in the southern sector.

The Trinity River project received a makeover during Ms. Miller's tenure. The ambitious plan isn't yet ready to go.

Some candidates, like Mr. Griffith and Mr. Leppert, are talking about ways to improve Dallas schools.

But for the most part, everybody's on the same page.

"I don't know what the issues will be that differentiates the candidates," Ms. Bartos said. "They have different approaches, but the issues make most of these guys pretty much the same."

While the administration of Mr. Kirk, the city's first black mayor, helped mask the city's racial and economic divide, Ms. Miller's unpopularity in the southern sector brought those issues back to the surface.

Mr. Wilson, the political scientist, expects mayoral candidates to continue to contrast their leadership styles with Ms. Miller's.

"You will hear a lot of rhetoric about coalition, compromise and working together, and all of that will be veiled references about Laura Miller's tempestuous tenure," Mr. Wilson said.

It is unclear whether Ms. Miller will ultimately endorse a candidate or play a major role in the race. If she doesn't, that could make things less interesting, analysts said.

"Without Laura Miller on the ballot, the mayoral election is going to be a low-intensity race," Mr. Wilson said. "She was such a powerful personality, that any race that involved her became a referendum on her, with very strong opponents and supporters. I don't see a personality of that magnitude in the race this time around."

With the crowded field, the race could easily be the most costly mayoral campaign in the city's history.

Mr. Leppert has already hit the airwaves with TV commercials that cost him over $100,000.

Meanwhile, the council candidates, with more name recognition, hope that can offset a lack of money.

Even the most seasoned politico is hesitant to pick a winner.

"It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the fundraising disparity to take its toll on many of the candidates," said Dallas political consultant Michael Sorrell. "The people who have the capacity to raise the most money also have the lowest name identification. The grass-roots candidate with lesser money won't drop out."

OTHER ISSUES

Property taxes: They're going up because of municipal bond debt paydowns. Will the next mayor stem tax rate spikes with a frugal 2007-08 city budget that still provides solid city services?

Homelessness: A $23 million-plus assistance facility is slated for construction. But thousands of people are still living on the streets, many in the downtown area.

Cotton Bowl: Political leaders are fighting to retain and attract college football games to the city-owned, 76-year-old facility, which is slated for $50 million in renovations.

Education: Candidates have long touted its importance, but few ever do much. Is this the year City Hall truly partners with – or puts pressure on – the struggling Dallas Independent School District?

[trolleygirl]

*yawn*

Already, I'm bored.

[Cliff Dweller]

The Old Oak Cliff Conservation League will be holding a candidate forum April 5th. It will be at the Hitt Auditorium at Methodist Hospital (1441 N. Beckley) from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

So far 15 candidates have said they will attend, so here's a chance to hear and see them in person.

Mark your calendars!

ETA - Co-sponsored by the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce, Methodist Health Systems and the Oak Cliff Tribune.

[UrbanHope]

^ You should only open up that forum to people that get the necessary signatures. I'm looking forward to attending the forum.

[Cliff Dweller]

Of course, by then we will know who has their paperwork in order and sufficient signatures on file with the City Secretary.

[dfwcre8tive]

Smoking ban not big in race
Dallas: Most mayoral hopefuls don't want to extend city's ban
11:29 PM CST on Monday, February 19, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022007dnmetnosmoking.14e5a96.html

Even as numerous state and municipal governments institute sweeping public smoking bans, most Dallas mayoral candidates say City Hall here has already gone far enough – perhaps too far – in telling people where they may or may not light up.

Such a rush to middle ground indicates the mayoral candidates, many of whom are building their campaigns on the all but universally supported themes of crime reduction, economic development, neighborhood improvements and civic unity, aren't particularly interested in reigniting one of Dallas' most volatile political debates this decade.

...

[dfwcre8tive]

Another candidate enters Dallas mayoral race
02:54 PM CST on Tuesday, February 20, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022107dnmetmayorrace.1c037554.html

Former four-term Dallas City Council member Larry Duncan confirmed Tuesday that he, too, will run for Dallas mayor, joining more than 20 other Dallasites who've said the same.

"Dallas is at a crossroads, and there's been virtually nothing getting done at City Hall," said Mr. Duncan, 61, who's served on the Dallas County Schools Board of Trustees since his election in 2003, leading the body as its president since 2005. Dallas County Schools provides transportation, technology and resource services to Dallas County's 15 school districts.

Mr. Duncan vowed to make his top three campaign priorities "public safety, public safety and public safety.

"If New York City can go from worst to first, then we can, too," Mr. Duncan said.

Mr. Duncan served on the council from 1991 to 1999, leaving because of term limits. In 2002, he lost in a close District 4 race to council member Maxine Thornton-Reese after a state judge voided results from a 2001 election.

Dallas' mayoral election is May 12, and the mayoral filing period concludes March 12. Mayor Laura Miller decided last year not to seek reelection, prompting a flood of candidates to seek the open seat.

[trolleygirl]

Larry Duncan = shameless media whore.

Gee, thanks, Larry for vowing to save us all from our own selves. We haven't heardTHAT before......

This race is really getting tiresome.

[dfwcre8tive]

Colors set tone in ads for mayor's race
12:32 PM CST on Monday, February 26, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/022507dnmetcampaigncolor.14c8deb.html

Max Wells likes black and yellow, because they alternately suggest "strong" and "hopeful."

Darrell Jordan prefers red, white and blue because they're his favorite colors, and he "suspects they're most people's favorites, too."

When Roger Herrera sees blue and green, he thinks of water. "And I'm happiest around water," he says.

Ask any of the rest of Dallas' actively campaigning mayoral candidates how and why they chose their campaign logo colors and the reasons are themselves a spectrum.

Some would-be mayors spent countless hours – and plenty of dollars – creating, tweaking and re-tweaking their logos in preparation for Dallas' May 12 general election and the relentless wooing of voters that will precede it.

Other candidates effectively tossed together some letters and colors on a computer screen, or simply recycled what they've used in previous campaigns, as they begin peppering the city with campaign signs, buttons, bumper stickers, handbills, TV advertisements and just about anything else on which one might display a logo.

In Mr. Wells' case, his consultants generated a dozen or so logos with numerous color combinations before the banker and former Dallas mayor pro tem made his ultimate decision.

Wells campaign manager Kyle Tarrance says the circular logo's black denotes a candidate who's "solid, stable, dependable, always in season," while yellow represents "hope, new day, sunrise, bright outlook."

"The design of our logo reinforces visually Max's history of good service," Mr. Tarrance said. "The design harkens to a day of dependability, trustworthiness and comfort with everything including our city leaders – something we need today more than ever."

Former Turner Corp. chief executive Tom Leppert uses yellow with blue in his logo – it's recently popped up throughout the city as part of a $100,000-plus media blitz – but for comparatively pedestrian reasons.

"The main reason for colors isn't meaning. It's that you have to stand out on billboards and yard signs," Leppert political consultant Carol Reed said.

But David Schultz isn't so sure.

The author of Lights, Camera, Campaign! Media, Politics, and Political Advertising, Dr. Schultz says a rich yellow – like that of a gold medal – and bright blue – like that of a blue ribbon – "could be a subliminal message of associating colors with winners. They're clear, contrast colors that stand out, like winners do."

All-American colors

District 3 City Council member Ed Oakley, for one, doesn't think much of yellow. "It's not a color I'd pick," he sniffed.

Instead, Mr. Oakley, along with several other mayoral candidates, chose the most American of all hues: red, white and blue.

At least in Mr. Oakley's case, however, he selected his mayoral campaign colors a decade ago as a rookie council candidate. No focus groups. No marketing research. And certainly no meditation sessions to glean the voter-perceived differences in meaning between candy-apple red and fire-engine red.

"There's no reason other than I liked how my logo looks in those colors on signs as billboards. They're the same colors I've used since my first campaign in the early '90s," Mr. Oakley said.

"Those are just the colors I prefer. Was there a marketing strategy? Nope," said District 9 council member Gary Griffith, who also uses red, white and blue, along with yellow, in his logo.

Mr. Griffith said he briefly considered using red and gray, his Woodrow Wilson High School colors, "but it didn't really work well for reproduction."

Ms. Reed suggested Mr. Griffith's current logo, with its blue Dallas skyline, red Pegasus and yellow swoosh, doesn't really work well, either.

"It has a whole lot of stuff going on," she said.

Mr. Griffith says he's proud of his logo.

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill says he definitely chose red, white and blue for a reason: to signify his core campaign message of civic unity.

"They say, 'One Dallas, one direction.' I don't think we gave any other colors consideration," Mr. Hill said.

Sam Coats' logo casts his name in white over a bed of red and blue but features a star, too. The former state representative and airline executive says his son, David, created the logo, and he likes it because "it has a striking similarity, without the yellow, to the Dallas city flag."

Mr. Jordan briefly flirted with using burnt orange – he's a University of Texas at Austin alumnus – but the attorney and 1995 mayoral election runner-up said "my staff and I frankly didn't think it looked as good on mailers and signs."

Red, white and blue's benefits go beyond mere patriotism, said Rita Kirk, corporate communications and public affairs division chairwoman at Southern Methodist University. They're also generally cheaper to print on campaign material. And faster.

"It's easier to crank that stuff out. Printing houses are set up for those colors," Dr. Kirk said, noting that it behooves candidates on a meager budget to select what's cost effective. "Printers aren't offering credit. They want you to pay cash in advance, because they think you're going to go away pretty soon."

Played out?

Not to be unpatriotic, says magazine editor Zac Crain, but red, white and blue are just a little too played out.

"A lot of the time, it seems it's just the way it's always been done – patriotism for the sake of patriotism," said Mr. Crain, whose logo is dominated by green and a slightly greenish blue. "You want something to jump off the screen, jump off the page."

That's West Dallas Chamber of Commerce President John Cappello's rationale for likewise using green and blue.

"I want to stand apart from all the candidates who are using red, white and blue," Mr. Cappello said. "Besides, they're the city of Dallas' colors. I want to give people the feeling that I'm a hometown person, a person with Dallas values."

Aside from the fuzzy feeling he gets around water, Mr. Herrera notes that supporters of the Dallas 2006 bond program, which voters overwhelming approved despite its $1.35 billion price tag, used blue and green in their pro-bond campaign.

"Look how that turned out," Mr. Herrera said.

From a practical standpoint, blue and green aren't the most effective colors for a political campaign since they're often difficult to see at night – at least, more difficult to see than a campaign logo with yellow it in, Dr. Kirk said.

But Jimmy Carter used green en route to winning the 1976 presidential election, she noted, so there's some high-level precedent for the color.

Beyond colors, no fewer than five mayoral candidates use an artistic rendition of the Dallas skyline in their logos, including Mr. Cappello, Mr. Crain, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Herrera and Mr. Leppert.

Mr. Cappello, Mr. Herrera and Mr. Leppert clearly portray the skyline as viewed from West Dallas. Mr. Crain's skyline shows downtown Dallas as it appears from Oak Cliff, or perhaps the western edge of the Cedars neighborhood south of downtown. Mr. Griffith's six-structure skyline is a bit suspect – the buildings don't appear situated in the right order if observed from any location.

"Makes you wonder if that's how the candidates themselves view the city," Dr. Kirk said. "At least, it's something to think about."

[dfwcre8tive]

3 Things I learned from this article and candidates' logos:

1. Roger Herrera is a crook (compare his logo to that of the Dallas Bond Campaign).
http://dallasmuseumofart.org/stellent/groups/web_home/documents/web_asset/id_143094.jpg

2. Gary Griffith has no strategy in his campaign or perspective of how the city looks.

3. There's no hope for good design in a city that doesn't value the way things look and always wants the cheapest way out. I think I'll move away.

:)

[Mballar]

Before Dallas voters make a decision on their choice for the next mayor, I think they should ask themselves the following questions, among others:

- What issues will be the most important to the city's transformation/transition in the next four years? (YES, the city is in a transformation/transition phase)?;
- What can/will the candidate do to further that transformation/transition?
- Does the candidate have a track record of working well with others?
- Is the candidate an aggressive or passive individual?

That being said, I LOVE Zac Crain campaign slogan. . ."The Can Do City Can Do It Again"

[UrbanHope]

Wow, the Herrera logo does look exactly like the Vote Yes.
Max Wells' logo looks like he should be selling sandwiches.

Why are they doing logos on the cheap when some will raise over $1MM? You could pay an art or graphic design student $250 and come up with a better logo than most of those. Or pay me $150 and lock me in room with Fireworks 8. I promise it will look better than my current avatar.

[CityLove]

I think Max Wells' logo kinda looks like he's running a gym. But I have to say, it does stand out against all the other red-white-blue logos. My favorite though is Zac Crain's logo.

[Justin Terveen]

I My favorite though is Zac Crain's logo.

my neighbor was able to hang out with him in plano a few weeks back... said he seemed like a pretty solid guy.

[dfwcre8tive]

Why are they doing logos on the cheap when some will raise over $1MM? You could pay an art or graphic design student $250 and come up with a better logo than most of those.

Exactly... that's what I'm thinking! While some of the candidates are spending a lot of money on research and marketing, others are doing it alone because they think they don't need the help... a big mistake.

Zac Crain's logo (and website) are my favorite (as far as design goes).

[tamtagon]

Before Dallas voters make a decision on their choice for the next mayor, I think they should ask themselves the following questions, among others:

- What issues will be the most important to the city's transformation/transition in the next four years? (YES, the city is in a transformation/transition phase)?;
- What can/will the candidate do to further that transformation/transition?
- Does the candidate have a track record of working well with others?
- Is the candidate an aggressive or passive individual?

That being said, I LOVE Zac Crain campaign slogan. . ."The Can Do City Can Do It Again"

I kinda think it's an organic evolution of Dallas' form of government, but the next city council needs a majority of representatives who are not bound to the ways of doing things in the past. The city has had a Comprehensive Master Plan for a couple years, and city council decisions MUST begin to reflect the plan.

The Trinity Tollway is absolutely not compatible to the mandates of the master plan. Reducing Trinity River Park land and amenities is absolutely not compatible to the master plan. The lack of substantial progress toward a fixed, offgrade trolley connectivity across downtown neighborhoods and LRT stations is not compatible with the plan.

It's very encouraging that Angela Hunt will be one of the senior council members after the election. Is Monica Green running again?

Oh wait, the mayor.... The mayor needs to be one council member with the ability to make sure all the others members understand the Comprehensive Master Plan and act accordingly.

[Mballar]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-mayorforum_01met.ART.State.Edition1.44667d9.html


Public safety tops mayoral forum

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, March 1, 2007

By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com

Increase taxes to fight crime: That's what several Dallas mayoral candidates proposed during a Dallas Police Association forum Wednesday night, the largest such event so far this election year.

Others among the seven featured candidates, though not specifically calling for tax increases, also proposed hiring hundreds of new police officers – an undertaking that would cost tens of millions of dollars annually.

Banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells says he supports a half-cent increase in Dallas' sales tax rate that would be dedicated to public safety. Such a move must first be approved by the state Legislature and, later, Dallas voters.

Absent a sales tax increase, he said, Dallas should institute a property tax increase that would raise $50 million for public safety.

"We need some significant money to make significant differences," Mr. Wells said.

"I guarantee you, the voters in this city will raise sales tax to do just that," District 3 council member Ed Oakley said of creating a "crime district" that would facilitate the dedicated sales tax.

"I would support a tax increase," Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill said. "What we are doing is working. But we need to get more productivity out of our police officers. ... We need to expand community policing."

Attorney and 1995 Dallas mayoral election runner-up Darrell Jordan vowed to hire three police officers per 1,000 city residents. Dallas' current rate is about 2.8 officers per 1,000 residents.

"It's simply a matter of bolstering the Police Department and the agencies it works with," Mr. Jordan said, adding that he would release a detailed crime-fighting platform today.

Calling for 800 more police officers, former state representative and airline executive Sam Coats didn't offer a specific proposal but vowed to offer officers strong incentives to join and stay with the Dallas Police Department.

Former Turner Corp. chief executive officer Tom Leppert argued that reducing crime is "going to take recruiting, and it's going to take competitive pay and benefits."

But he said he'd like one year to prove Dallas could fund improvements through expanding its tax base.

District 9 council member Gary Griffith backed the city's current plan of hiring 500 officers over several years.

But "we're not going to hire our way out of this crime problem," he added, calling for exploration of alternative policing practices, including community policing and programs for newly released convicts.

The three-hour forum was generally collegial, though several candidates took exception to Mr. Leppert's assertion that he's "the only candidate who's led a large, complex organization" in Turner Corp., a multibillion-dollar construction company.

Mr. Coats at once noted that he has served as a top executive for several airlines and led a corporate restructuring of sandwich shop Schlotzsky's while deadpanning, "We don't need another hotshot CEO" as mayor.

Mr. Wells highlighted his experience running a bank and serving as chairman of the D/FW International Airport Board.

"If you don't understand how City Hall works, you'll never get it done," Mr. Oakley said in a less-than-subtle swipe at Mr. Leppert's lack of political experience, which Mr. Leppert several times touted as an advantage.

The candidates broached sports, too.

Mr. Oakley said that if he could turn back time, he would have ensured that the Dallas Cowboys organization would have built its $1 billion retractable-roof stadium in Dallas' Fair Park, not Arlington.

Mr. Coats, meanwhile, suggested Dallas could aid downtown revitalization by pursuing a Major League Baseball club to play in the National League.

Audience members' heads turned. The Texas Rangers of the American League, after all, play in Arlington.

"If you're going to think outside of the box, why not think outside of the box?" Mr. Coats said.

Although more than 20 Dallasites have registered treasurers for a mayoral run ahead of the May 12 general election, "we think these seven people are the top seven," Glen White, the association's chairman, said of the invitees.

Among campaigning mayoral candidates not invited: West Dallas Chamber of Commerce President John Cappello, American Way magazine editor Zac Crain, former four-term Dallas City Council member Larry Duncan and lawyer Roger Herrera.

[Mballar]

Leppert not a regular at polls

Elections: Rivals say voting is the least a candidate can do

10:13 PM CST on Thursday, March 1, 2007

By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com

Tom Leppert wants to become Dallas' next mayor, and presuming he votes for himself this May, it'll be the first ballot he's ever cast for the office.

Dallas County records indicate Mr. Leppert regularly skips voting, including Dallas' 2005 "strong mayor" and homeless center bond referendums, a 2001 state constitutional amendment vote and all general primary elections since 2000.

A resident of Highland Park or University Park from 1999 to 2003 after moving to North Texas, the former chairman and chief executive officer of the Turner Corp. construction firm participated in his first Dallas municipal election in May 2005, county records indicate.

"The record is what it is. I've voted in all the major general elections and most of the municipal elections," said Mr. Leppert, who's attracted robust support – and hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions – from Dallas' leading businesspeople. "Voters – they're going to look at what the candidate can contribute. They're also going to look at involvement in community activities and community service. I feel real good about that."

Several of his mayoral opponents don't see it that way.

'Indication of priorities'

"His voting record is a very, very legitimate question and concern. You have to be committed to the city and the betterment of the city, and that's not something that comes one morning at breakfast," said Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, whose Dallas County voting record indicates that since 2000 he's voted in each of 17 elections The Dallas Morning News surveyed.

Elections in which some of the mayoral candidates couldn't vote, such as primary election runoffs or votes not involving the entire city, were excluded from the tally.

"It's a basic responsibility as a citizen to vote. It's pretty incumbent on someone who's seeking public support," said lawyer and 1995 mayoral runner-up Darrell Jordan, whose voting record is also perfect during the period surveyed.

"Your voting record is indicative of your interest and how well you're informed about government. It's an indication of priorities," banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells said. "If you're running for office, and you're asking for the public to put trust in you, you're voting record is pretty important."

District 9 council member Ed Oakley, who missed a primary election in 2000 but has a flawless voting record since, says he's as concerned that Mr. Leppert has lived in Dallas less than three years as he is about his voting record.

"I'd have deep concerns about someone who has only lived in the city two or three years, and how well he understands things that affect the city and its tax base," Mr. Oakley said.

Others missed votes, too

Mr. Leppert is among several actively campaigning Dallas mayoral candidates – among 22 who have registered campaign treasurers – who fail to vote in some major elections.

Since 2000, American Way magazine editor Zac Crain didn't vote in the majority of elections for which he was eligible, including Dallas' 2003 mayoral and City Council election, the 2005 City Council election and both "strong mayor" referendums.

Mr. Crain says he's not proud of his record, explaining that he didn't regularly vote because he felt disenfranchised by Dallas' political process. And that's precisely why he says he's running for mayor: to give a voice to Dallasites who have long felt bypassed or ignored by local politicians.

"I got married, I had a kid. I understand what's at stake now," said Mr. Crain, who voted in the November general election.

"For the votes I missed, I have no excuse," said former state representative and airline executive Sam Coats, who didn't vote in the 2002 police pay referendum or 2003 mayoral and council election, but has cast a ballot in every surveyed election since. "Voting is extremely important, and I plan to keep up my recent voting record."

West Dallas Chamber of Commerce President John Cappello lived in Lancaster before moving to Dallas in 2005 and has voted twice this decade in municipal elections. While a steady voter in state and general elections, Mr. Cappello says he doesn't vote in primary elections because he considers himself an independent and doesn't want to ally himself with a political party.

"I'm surprised that some of the candidates have missed as many votes as they have. Voting is the cornerstone of good citizenship," said District 9 council member Gary Griffith, whose voting record indicates he's voted in all surveyed elections save for a 2002 Dallas police pay referendum – a vote Mr. Griffith says he "doesn't recall missing, but it's possible."

Civic participation

When asked, Mr. Leppert did not directly address why he doesn't vote in federal or state primary elections. Instead, he began discussing the Dallas mayoral race.

"What's terrific about this race is that it's nonpartisan," he said. "At the federal level, there's not a lot of creative solutions coming. At the city level, that's where the neat, creative solutions are. More and more of what you're seeing is people that haven't been in political service now all of a sudden are getting involved. ... It's a terrific trend, and I've fallen in with that."

Mr. Leppert's civic service résumé is indeed long: He's a former Greater Dallas Chamber chairman, chairman of the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations and a participant on numerous boards, including those of the West Dallas Initiative, Dallas Zoological Society, Dallas Citizens Council, Episcopal School of Dallas and Texas Environmental Research Consortium.

While civic participation is admirable, consistent voting participation is vital to a healthy democracy, said Katherine Homan, president of the League of Women Voters of Dallas, a nonpartisan political organization that advocates citizen participation in government.

"If they're not political animals enough to vote, they're not showing their interest," Ms. Homan said of Dallas' mayoral candidates. "You'd like to think they have a strong interest in city politics and city business and that they show their concern by going to the polls."

[dfwcre8tive]

Dallas mayor candidates split on Cotton Bowl spending
Dilemma: Fix site to keep or draw games, or redirect funds
11:19 PM CST on Sunday, March 4, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/030507dnmetmayorcotton.38997bc.html

Now that the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic is primed to leave the Fair Park stadium, Dallas mayoral candidates are divided on what to do with a public fortune earmarked for Cotton Bowl stadium renovations.

Some say the $30 million in municipal bonds that voters approved in November as part of a $1.35 billion bond program must remain slotted for the 76-year-old facility.

Not to do so, they say, would risk losing the stadium's two remaining annual college football games – the University of Texas vs. University of Oklahoma and Grambling State University vs. Prairie View A&M University – and all but fumble away its chances of attracting new games many city officials so desperately desire.

By autumn, the City Council must decide whether to authorize bonds to fund Cotton Bowl improvements, reprogram the money for other park and recreation purposes or not sell the bonds at all, reducing the city's projected debt.

About $20 million in city- and State Fair of Texas-funded Cotton Bowl improvements already are under way, including installation of new seating and a massive video scoreboard.

"That money is to be used to bring that stadium up to par. It's imperative that it be used that way, otherwise, the existing stadium will not be viable," former state representative and airline executive Sam Coats said.

"I have no qualms spending the money. You have to keep the faith with the voters, period," said Darrell Jordan, a lawyer and 1995 Dallas mayoral election runner-up.

"This is a good investment. We have to fight to keep these games," District 3 council member Ed Oakley said.

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill concurs.

"We need to not only go forward with the Cotton Bowl bond funds, but we need to as a city, and some respect, the region, make that the best venue we can," Mr. Hill said.

"It's time for us to press on and not step back."

No way, some say

Step back – turn around and sprint the other way – is precisely what Dallas should do, American Way magazine editor Zac Crain argues.

"There's no way I'd put any money into the Cotton Bowl. You're basically piling that money up and setting it on fire," Mr. Crain said, recommending that the City Council use the $30 million for other improvements to Fair Park. "Football games don't want to go where there's history. They want to go where there's money, and that's not the Cotton Bowl."

West Dallas Chamber of Commerce president John Cappello says he has "mixed emotions" about what to do with the Cotton Bowl, but in the end, "its best days are behind it. I would consider reprogramming the money."

Lawyer Roger Herrera says he, too, would redirect the money, although he wants to use the funds to convert the Cotton Bowl into a public recreational facility. "It could be a parklike atmosphere," he said.

Courting big games

State Fair of Texas officials have for months attempted to persuade several schools to play annual or periodic games at the Cotton Bowl. They include Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Oklahoma State University, Louisiana State University, Baylor University and Notre Dame University, as well as the championship games for several football conferences.

But no school has signed a contract. State Fair of Texas president Errol McKoy says he remains confident that at least one deal will be struck soon – within weeks, perhaps.

"The question you ask is about six weeks premature," said banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells when asked what to do with the $30 million in Cotton Bowl improvement funds. "There are things working. We need to give it a chance."

He added that since voters approved the bond funds, "there should be a very high threshold to change their will."

Mayor Laura Miller, whose term ends in June, warned last week that she believes "it is clear we will lose the Texas/OU game if we don't fix up the stadium." As for any new games, Ms. Miller says she'd "like some movement in two weeks."

Contracts for both the Texas-OU and Grambling-Prairie View games expire in 2010.

Fair Park is a critical city asset from a cultural and historical standpoint, and the Cotton Bowl is part of that equation, said Tom Leppert, former Turner Corp. chairman and chief executive officer.

"I just want to make sure there are commitments that justify the spending. And you want to get those commitments as soon as you can," Mr. Leppert said. "A lot of it is just common sense."

District 9 council member Gary Griffith says he'd "wait as long as we can to make a decision on the money – until we have to authorize those bond funds for the Cotton Bowl. We've got to work extremely hard now to get those additional games."

And if those games still haven't materialized by autumn, when Dallas must authorize a November bond sale?

"It does change the equation some," Mr. Griffith said. {WebArch} Stories, photos and video: Full coverage of the Cotton Bowl saga DallasNews.com/Extra

[columbiasooner]

huh?

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007/03/07/gary-griffith-goes-after-cheese/

http://www.dmagazine.com/Media/VideoLibrary/Griffithspot01.mov

[trolleygirl]

huh?

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007/03/07/gary-griffith-goes-after-cheese/

http://www.dmagazine.com/Media/VideoLibrary/Griffithspot01.mov


I know, I looked at it this morning and still chuckling. Unfair Park has a great post. I just love they way he's soooo fake-serious about protecting the children. Hey Gary, it's funny when Chef says it, and we're laughing AT you when you do it, so SHADDUP, will ya? You look like a jerk. I highly reccomend it for it's sheer entertainment value.

Oh, I'll probably catch some political heat now for posting this, but oh well. Gary, if you're reading this: do some more, we need all the laughs we can get. We HEART youtube.....

[UrbanHope]

check the area code on the DMag clip... 512 (Austin) and 919 (North Carolina).

He couldn't find anyone in the DFW, huh?

[UrbanHope]

Check out the Gary Griffith video interview from Monday 3/5


http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/mar/08/dallas-mayoral-interview-gary-griffith

[Burnviktm]

*sings* Ding dong, the witch is dead!

[trolleygirl]

Which 'ole witch? The wicked witch!

[dfwcre8tive]

Miller gets lukewarm poll rating
Black residents approve of her job much less than whites, Hispanics
11:38 PM CDT on Sunday, March 11, 2007
By GROMER JEFFERS Jr. / The Dallas Morning News
gjeffers@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/031207dnmetmillerpoll.39b2f65.html

Laura Miller roared into office with a populist message of fixing streets and cleaning up neighborhoods.

Judging from a new poll by The Dallas Morning News, she's leaving City Hall with a whimper.

The poll shows that less than half of Dallas residents, 43 percent, approve of her job performance. It also indicated that 32 percent disapprove of the job she's doing, while 25 percent didn't have an opinion or were not sure.

Ms. Miller – via her Blackberry – said she was happy with the results.

"Any elected official, including me, is pleased when his or her approval rating is higher than her disapproval rating," she typed. "So I'm pleased."

Pollster Mickey Blum said Ms. Miller's lame-duck status could have affected the high percentage of respondents unwilling or unable to rate her performance.

"It could be that she seems irrelevant to them," Ms. Blum said.

In 2005, when the city rejected the proposal to give the mayor more power, Ms. Miller's approval rating among likely voters was 57 percent.

Ms. Blum said the latest approval rating signals that residents are "lukewarm" about Ms. Miller.

"It's more positive than negative," she said. "But even her staunchest supporters are barely in her corner. It's hardly a resounding thumbs-up."

The poll, a telephone survey conducted Monday through Wednesday of 601 city residents with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, revealed a distinct gap between whites and blacks in their assessment of Ms. Miller. Black residents approved of her performance in significantly lower numbers than whites and Hispanics.

Ms. Miller, nearly always the lighting rod, was an early campaign issue when she announced she would not seek another term.

Mayoral contenders quickly said the question of leadership would be a top issue in the campaign. But candidates now rarely mention Ms. Miller by name.

"People are ready to move on," said Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. "They don't want to rehash the battles of the past."

Poll respondents who approved of Ms. Miller's performance cited her willingness to cut against the grain and tackle tough issues.

"She's got guts and is tough as nails," said mechanic Willy Sharp, 55. "She should run for president."

Respondents who now oppose her feel like she reneged on her 2002 campaign problems to beef up the city's basic services.

"She said she was going to fill the potholes," said retiree Jewell Seatherston, 64. "The potholes are worse than ever. She forgot about Oak Cliff. She forgot about what she promised this city."

Ms. Miller's populist message did evolve over the years.

She's reshaped the Trinity River project, helped broker a deal to lift flight restrictions at Dallas Love Field and made progress with downtown revitalization.

In essence, she became the big-ticket mayor she fought against when she was a council member.

But Ms. Miller is also widely blamed for not doing enough to bring the Dallas Cowboys back to Dallas.

"While some people feel she became a more of a big-ticket mayor, she's also being blamed for not stepping up to get the Cowboys," Mr. Wilson said. "She's getting it from both sides."

GRADING THE MAYOR

Polled by The Dallas Morning News, Dallas residents on the job Laura Miller is doing as mayor:

43% Approve

32% Disapprove

25% Don't know, did not respond

How the major candidates seeking to replace Laura Miller graded her performance during her more than five years in office:

C+ West Dallas Chamber of Commerce president John Cappello: "She's done the best that she could."

B+ Former airline executive and state representative Sam Coats: "She helped increase the property tax base, push the bond program, repeal the Wright amendment. She'll go down as a very good mayor. If she got along better with people ... I would have given her an 'A.' "

C American Way magazine editor Zac Crain: "What she stood for and promised in the beginning – good city services – never came to pass. In some ways, she just sort of insulted our intelligence."

City Council member Gary Griffith: No grade. "She'll be able to look back on accomplishments, from her perspective, like the smoking ordinance, the Wright amendment. Mayor Miller gets credit for that. My biggest disappointment was the failure to build a new Cotton Bowl at Fair Park."

C+ Lawyer Roger Herrera: "Her time as mayor was a time we were divided, north and south. But I've always admired her strength and courage."

C+ Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill: "She's done a good job on some issues – the smoking ban in particular, and environmental issues. She struggled with trying to get a good working relationship developed with other council members."

D- Lawyer Darrell Jordan: "She'll be remembered as the mayor who lost the new Cowboys stadium. This issue, more than smoking, more than the Wright amendment, will define her term in office. She'll always be remembered as the mayor who didn't seize the opportunity."

Former Turner Corp. chairman and chief executive Tom Leppert: No grade. "Clearly, she is passionate about the city. She's done a good job working on behalf of the taxpayers and their interests."

City Council member Ed Oakley: No grade. "It's really for the citizens of Dallas to decide what grade to give her."

Banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells: No grade. "Time will judge her term in office and contributions to the city."

Dave Levinthal

[dfwcre8tive]

Poll: Crime tops election issues
Development, honest government next on Dallas voters' list
01:17 AM CDT on Monday, March 12, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/031207dnmetmayorpoll.3a4696b.html

Gangs plague neighborhoods. Rapes aren't uncommon. Thieves ransack vehicles by the dozens each day. And political leaders all but universally acknowledge Dallas' Police Department is understaffed.

As voters prepare to elect a new mayor on May 12, these factors contribute to Dallasites' overwhelming ranking of crime as the single most important issue facing the city, according to a Dallas Morning News poll.

About one in three respondents highlighted crime, and no other single issue rivaled it.

Economic development (17 percent), honest government (15 percent) and delivering city services (12 percent) ranked among respondents' other top concerns.

"Together, these are the concerns that affect almost every aspect of our lives," pollster Mickey Blum said.

Poll respondents chose race relations and the Trinity River Corridor project as top issues in much fewer numbers.

Anti-crime

The strong anti-crime sentiment revealed in the poll aligns with most Dallas mayoral candidates' priorities as, in some fashion, they're promising to bolster the Police Department and aggressively attempt to reduce crime.

Banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells, for example, wants to increase either the city's sales or property tax and dedicate the revenue directly to crime fighting. Lawyer Darrell Jordan recently released a sweeping crime-reduction plan but says he can implement it without raising taxes.

District 9 City Council member Gary Griffith used his limited campaign funds to produce a TV advertisement exclusively discussing "cheese" – an illegal drug made from heroin and Tylenol PM.

"Crime is the key to everything else. If you're going to have economic development or good service delivery, it's all tied to crime reduction," mayoral candidate and District 3 City Council member Ed Oakley acknowledged.

Pleasant Grove resident Christine Blair doesn't disagree.

"Start with drugs. And we sure need to hire a few more policemen to patrol this area," Ms. Blair said. "They've got to do something more."

But while most candidates are talking about prioritizing crime, that's probably not enough, Ms. Blum said. Voters will want specific plans, "and the winner may be the candidate who they really believe can do something about crime."

City's direction

Among the poll's other key findings:

• More people than not – 46 percent to 35 percent – believe Dallas is "heading in the right direction." Nearly one in five isn't sure either way.

• While improving race relations doesn't rank high among residents' priorities for city government, seven in 10 respondents consider race relations in Dallas either "fair" or "poor." Just 3 percent say they're "excellent." Black residents are more likely to grade race relations as "poor" than Hispanics or whites. "There's a very different picture of this city depending on who you are," Ms. Blum said.

• Immigration laws: More respondents than not oppose passing laws, similar to those in Farmers Branch, that make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to work and live in Dallas. A slight majority of both whites and blacks do favor such laws, but nearly nine in 10 Hispanics oppose them.

• City services: Only about one in five respondents said Dallas distributes taxpayer money and city services fairly between the city's northern and southern sectors.

The feeling that services are inequitably distributed is particularly strong among black residents, although half of whites and nearly half of Hispanics also say services are unequal. Most southern-sector residents perceive service inequality, while fewer than half of northern-sector residents do.

"It'd be difficult to say city services are equitable," mayoral candidate and former Turner Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Tom Leppert said.

The telephone survey of 601 Dallas residents was conducted Monday through Wednesday by Blum & Weprin Associates. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points, meaning results could vary by that much in either direction.

That most Dallasites believe some neighborhoods receive better city services than others is no surprise to Ms. Blair.

A divided city?

She offered an example of a house in her neighborhood that recently burned and now stands boarded up and vacant. It's a blight and safety hazard, she said, but no one in city government seems to care.

"They think it's OK for our area, but this would never happen in North Dallas," she said. "There's serious inequity."

Oak Cliff resident Marcy Barnes is among the poll respondents who said Dallas needs to pointedly address race relations.

"It seems everyone is out for themselves instead of out for the whole," she said

She suggested that "instead of always talking about North Dallas, Oak Cliff, South Dallas, we talk about the whole city."

Mayoral candidate and Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill in particular has made civic unity a cornerstone of his campaign.

"The uncomfortable truth is that we're still a divided city in many respects," Mr. Hill said.

But that only 7 percent of respondents consider race relations the most important issue racing the city is an indication that "people feel like we're working on it," he said.

'Really run-down'

For Wendi Lamb, who lives near Farmers Branch, Dallas may be headed in the right direction – the economy is expanding, there are obvious signs of development – but leaders must perform a good deal of self-maintenance along the way.

Compared with her native St. Louis, Dallas' zoo and many museums are "really run-down."

The most important issue facing the city is improving neighborhoods, Ms. Lamb said.

"They're either really nice, or really not. There's a division," she said.

A key issue in the race, even if all candidates aren't talking about it, is improving honesty in government. With 15 percent of respondents ranking it as the top issue facing the city, a string of FBI investigations into City Hall officials over the past decade has clearly affected voters' psyches.

Corruption inquiry

The latest corruption investigation, which began in 2005 and is ongoing, is targeting Mr. Hill and the City Council's three other black members.

While Mr. Hill says he won't be affected by the investigation – he has not been charged with any crime – older Dallasites particularly say clean government is a key issue in the 2007 mayoral race. Older residents also vote – often more than any other age demographic, Ms. Blum noted.

And even though crime is an overriding public concern, with such a large number of candidates preparing to run for mayor, "small things can really matter."

"Small things can really hurt someone and help another," Ms. Blum said.

WHAT MATTERS

What Dallas residents say is the single most important issue for them in the mayor's race:

33% Crime

17% Economic development

15% Honest government

12% Delivering city services

7% Race relations

4% Trinity River project

SOURCE: Telephone poll of 601 residents Monday-Wednesday. Margin of error: plus or minus 4 percentage points. Undecided results not included.

ON THE ISSUES

The Dallas Morning News poll of city residents:

On where Dallas is heading:

46% Right direction

35% Wrong track

On whether Dallas distributes its taxpayer money and services fairly between North and South Dallas:

21% Yes

53% No

On the condition of race relations in Dallas:

3% Excellent

23% Good

48% Only fair

22% Poor

On whether Dallas should pass laws, similar to those in Farmers Branch, making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to work and live in Dallas:

36% Yes

54% No

SOURCE: Telephone poll of 601 residents Monday-Wednesday by Blum and Weprin Associates Inc., New York. Margin of error: plus or minus 4 percentage points. Some undecided results not included.


WHO'S RUNNING?

These candidates have filed:

• Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill

• Business executive Tom Leppert

• City Council member Gary Griffith

• City Council member Ed Oakley

• West Dallas Chamber of Commerce president John Cappello

• Lawyer Roger Herrera

• Banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells

These candidates say they will file Monday:

• Lawyer Darrell Jordan

• Former airline executive Sam Coats

• Magazine editor Zac Crain

Others have expressed interest in the race and could file by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline.

[UrbanHope]

Here's the list of candidates:

http://dallasprogress.blogspot.com/2007/03/dallas-mayoral-candidate-list-you-know.html

[dfwcre8tive]

So only 13 candidates? I was hoping for more...


13 candidates file for Dallas mayor's race
09:00 PM CDT on Monday, March 12, 2007
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
dlevinthal@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031307dnmetdalfilings.3097504.html

It's the mother of Dallas mayoral races.

On the final day of the city's monthlong filing period, six candidates formally applied for ballot spots Monday, swelling the Dallas mayoral field to 13. Barring any candidate disqualifications for incomplete applications, the 2007 election will rank as the most crowded in a generation and, perhaps, Dallas history, city officials say.

The candidates themselves say they aren't certain what to make of such a competitive environment, which includes elected officials, lawyers, businessmen, journalists and even a homeless, transgender political activist.

They are West Dallas Chamber of Commerce President John Cappello, former state representative and airline executive Sam Coats, American Way magazine editor Zac Crain, political activist Jennifer Gale, District 9 City Council member Gary Griffith, lawyer Roger Herrera, Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, political activist Evelyn Daniel, lawyer Darrell Jordan, former Turner Corp. chairman and chief executive Tom Leppert, District 3 council member Ed Oakley, real estate developer Ed Okpa, and banker and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells.

The majority of them boast enough money and organization to produce a steady stream of campaign commercials and direct mailings aimed at what's typically a small fraction of the population that actually votes.

That's an equation that could equal a confusing, dissonant race in which no clear front-runner ever emerges and the difference between winning and losing is measured by a few thousand, even a few hundred, votes.

What's all but certain: There will be no winner on election day, May 12. Since a candidate must win 50 percent of the total vote to capture an outright victory, a June 9 runoff election between the top two finishers is effectively predestined.

"It's really surprising. The clear evidence that there's going to be a runoff changes everyone's strategy," said Mr. Jordan, who placed second in the 1995 mayoral election. "A general approach to an election that may have worked before won't work now. Everyone is trying to identify who their supporters are, and you have to be a lot more strategic."

Mr. Coats says: "The key is going to be to try and really differentiate yourself. So many politicians come across as overly pompous, so for my part, I'm telling people we don't need to elect another hotshot."

Mr. Crain describes his strategy as "targeting a group of people that hasn't been hit by the other candidates – younger people, young families who are homeowners, people a step or two away from me who just don't think anyone else has spoken for them."

Many of Dallas' City Council races will also feature numerous candidates in large part because seven of the 14 districts have no incumbent running. Those open seats are in districts 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

District 3, which includes large sections of Oak Cliff, Mountain Creek and The Woods, leads all races with 10 candidates. The District 5 race has eight candidates, while the District 7 race has seven.

Incumbents Elba Garcia (District 1), Steve Salazar (District 6), Linda Koop (District 11) and Mitchell Rasansky (District 13) face no opposition. Former Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board member Jerry Allen, meanwhile, was the only candidate to file in District 10 – council member Bill Blaydes declined to seek re-election.

Crime probably will be an overriding issue in the mayoral and council races.

About one in three respondents to a recent Dallas Morning News telephone poll listed crime as the single most important issue facing Dallas – almost twice as many people as those who said economic development is the city's single most important issue.

Since 1980, Dallas has conducted 11 mayoral elections. The greatest number of candidates to appear on a ballot? Nine, in 1983 and 1987.

Other races have featured anywhere between two and seven candidates, according to City Archivist John Slate.

No matter the 2007 field's large size, it could have been even larger.

Former City Council members Jim Buerger and Larry Duncan decided not to file after initially suggesting they would. Salesman and artist Billy MacLeod likewise missed the filing deadline despite his attendance at mayoral forums and months of door-to-door campaigning.

Several other Dallasites who had registered campaign treasurers – a precursor to a formal run that allows candidates to raise money – were also no-shows. Residents may still apply to run as write-in candidates, though their names will not appear on the ballot.

The 2007 mayoral race began more than a year out, with Mr. Crain and Mr. Griffith announcing their intentions early in 2006.

Since then, a steady trickle of candidates have declared themselves either in, out or back in again – Mr. Wells did all three – especially after Mayor Laura Miller announced in July that she wouldn't seek re-election after more than five years as Dallas' top elected official.

[UrbanHope]

Comprehensive list from the City Secretary:

http://dallasprogress.blogspot.com/2007/03/dallas-election-candidates-here-is.html